Filling nozzle for apparatus for filling containers with liquid



30, 1955 c. TOLLBERG 2,716,517

FILLING NOZZLE; FOR APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Filed July 6 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 30, 1955 c. TOLLBERG 2,716,517

FILLING NOZZLE FOR APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Filed July 6, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet 2 M 6 2 a iguana 9 s aas w w 7 7 7 m Ami, fifliiii-. 6 0 b l 2 d lla/ 19, BY I l I ATTORNEYS 3 a 4 \ll l- .0 5 m \mW W 9 G 0 6 w "2 9 8 M 7 7 2 2 8 a 9 a m 4 2 0 0 6 0 8 7 7 2 4 6 28 M28M M498 6 I \L 4 3 8 K I a 1 g .0 A/ .6 A O\ h A. j j '13 I I %m o PM A \W/ 1 i 2 4 A A /H ///////W N /H,u. 6 22 A w .0 J 4 0 2 A w 4 o a S 6 2 7 7 Aug. 30, 1955 c. TOLLBERG 2,716,517

FILLING NOZZLE FOR APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Filed July 6, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet s VII ll 2 vi" $2 in ii II II I/ 7 6- 20 INVENTOR.

II/IIIIIIIII, I,

; Charfles ljollhery, I

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent FILLING NOZZLE FOR APPARATUS FOR FILLING CONTAINERS WITH LIQUID Charles Tollherg, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., 2 corporation of New York Application July 6, 1951, Serial No. 235,547

12 Claims. (Cl. 226-124) This invention relates to a filling valve or nozzle for machines for filling containers with non-carbonated liquids, especially liquids that foam readily, such as soap and liquid wax. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved filling nozzle for conventional automatic bottle filling machines of the type which have a filling platform, on which the bottle to be filled is located, and a superposed liquid reservoir. In such machines the filling platform either lifts to raise the bottle into engagement with the filling nozzle which depends from the liquid reservoir, or the liquid reservoir is lowered to accomplish such engagement.

The filling nozzle of such machines incorporates a valve which is opened by the engagement and movement of a portion of the nozzle by the container to be filled, to thus automatically permit liquid to flow from the reservoir through the nozzle and into the container. In order to prevent overflow of the container being filled, the nozzle is provided with an annular gasket or pad that is engageable with the mouth of the container to seal the same from the atmosphere. This seal creates the problem of properly venting the air from the container during filling thereof with liquid. Accordingly, the filling nozzle must also be constructed to incorporate such a vent. The vent usually leads to the air space above the liquid in the reservoir, which space may be under a pressure less than atmospheric in some types of machines, i. e., so-called vacuum machines. After the container has been filled, it is lowered from engagement with the nozzle to automatically close the valve and stop the flow of liquid.

Nozzles of the aforementioned type present numerous problems which must be overcome to provide satisfactory operation without undue complexity. Among these problems may be mentioned those of providing a nozzle structure which may be easily taken apart and cleaned as when filling containers with various types of residue forming liquids, of providing a nozzle which is dripless to avoid a messy condition of the filling machine, and of preventing blocking of the vent passage with the liquid. Additionally, the handling of readily foaming liquids presents the problem of minimizing foaming during filling operations and of disposing of such foam as may develop.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved filling nozzle for vacuum or nonvacuum apparatus for filling containers with non-carbonated or still liquids, especially easily foaming liquids.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dripless filling nozzle of the type described.

It is another object of this invention to provide a filling nozzle of the type described with means for preventing the vent passage therethrough from becoming blocked with the liquid with which the container is being filled.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a filling nozzle of the type described with suction and pressure creating means, operable by the filling move- 2,7 l 6 ,5 l 7 Patented Aug. 30, 1 955 ice the filling operation, and for breaking such foam down and returning it into the next container at the beginning of the next filling operation.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a nozzle of the type described that can easily and quickly be disassembled for cleaning purposes and can be reassembled in an extremely short time, such nozzle being of simplified construction so that no tools are needed for the assembly and disassembly thereof.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevational View of a portion of a container filling machine illustrating a filling nozzle embodying this invention in initial operative position with a container to be filled.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the filling nozzle illustrated in Figure 1 showing the nozzle in initial operative engagement with the container.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 showing the position of the nozzle parts at the end of their initial upward movement during the filling operation.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 illustrating the position of the nozzle parts at the terminus of their upward movement during the filling operation.

Figure 5 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 illustrating the position of the nozzle parts and the liquid levels after the container has been lowered at the end of the filling operation.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken upon line 66 of Figure 4.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views taken on the correspondingly numbered lines of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings, there are shown in Figure 1 the filling platform and superposed, preferably constant level, liquid reservoir 22 that are conventional in automatic bottle filling machines of the type with which this invention is concerned. A bottle 24 is shown on the platform in its position immediately before operative engagement with the nozzle, but it will be realized that the filling nozzle is adapted for use to fill all types of liquid containers, whether of glass or other material. The reservoir is provided with a removable cover 26 and a depending downspout 28 positioned directly over the filling platform 20. The downspout 28 has a smooth cylindrical bore 30 therethrough and is provided, adjacent the bottom wall 32 of the reservoir, with an upwardly facing frusto-conical valve seat 34.

A valve body 36 is mounted for vertical slidable movement within the bore 30 of the downspout 28 and has an enlarged upper portion forming a shoulder against which an annular detachable valve head 33, preferably of rubber, is seated. The lower end of the valve head 38 has a frusto-conical valve surface 40 complementary to and seating on the valve seat 34.

The valve body 36, which preferably is weighted for reasons later described, is made in two separately formed parts for constructional purposes, a lower portion 42 and an upper portion 44 secured together, as by welding. The lower portion 42 has annular recesses 46 and 48 extending inwardly from its opposite ends and separated by an annular partition 50, as best shown in Figure 6. Communication between the upper and lower recesses 48 and 46 is afforded by a pair of openings 52 through the partition spaced apart, as best shown in Figures 7 and 8. The upper end of the lower portion 42 is also provided with a cylindrical recess 54 in communication, at its bottom, with the annular recess 48. The upper portion 44 has a vertical bore 56 communicating, at its lower end, with the recess 54, and mounting, in its upper end,

a vent pipe 58 which extends upwardly above the level of the liquid in or into the airspace 60 of the reservoir, as shown in Figure 1. The annular recesses 46 and 48, openings 52, recess 54, bore 56, and vent pipe 58 form a vent passage through the valve body providing open communication between the underside of the valve body and the airspace 60 in the reservoir 22. Although a nozzle embodying this invention is principally intended for use with non-vacuum machines, it may be used satisfactorily with vacuum machines' In the latter event, the air space 60 above the reservoir would be under reduced pressure.

The lower portion 42 of the valve body has a central. bore 62 extending upwardly from the lower end thereof toa, point within the partition 50. Spaced 90 from the openings 52 in the partition are a pair of lateral inlet ports 64 immediately beneath the valve head 33 and extending through the partition 50 to the bore 52, as shown best in Figure 6. These ports 64, when the valve body 36 is seated on its seat 34, are disposed completely within the bore of the downspout 28. Mounted in the central bore 62 in the lower end of the lower portion 42 of the valve body and depending therefrom is a relatively long filling tube 66 having a lower section 68 of enlarged diameter. end and is provided with a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced radial discharge ports 70 adjacent the lower end thereof. These ports 70 are of relatively small diameter as compared with the interior diameter of the filling tube 66.

Slidably mounted on the enlarged lower portion 68 of the tube 66 is a valve sleeve 72 which covers the discharge ports 70. The sleeve 72 is normally engaged with and supported on an upwardly facing shoulder 74, shown best in Figures 3 and 4, provided by a pointed nut 76 that is threaded onto the lower end of the filling tube 66. The annular space between the sleeve 72 and the reduced upper portion of the filling tube 66 forms a vent passageway 78. A plurality of radial ports 80, two are illustrated in the drawings, are provided in the sleeve 72 immediately below the upper end of the enlarged portion 68 of the tube 65, as shown in Figure 2, to provide communication between the interior of the container 24 and the vent passageway 78 as later described. The upper end of the sleeve 72 is normally disposed in spaced relation to the lower end of the valve body 36 and is enlarged and provided with a radial flange 82 to form an upwardly facing shoulder 84 Seated on this shoulder 84 and snugly embracing the sleeve 72 is the lower rim S6 of a bellows-like element 88 which has its upper rim 9t) seated against a downwardly facing shoulder 92 formed on the lower end of the downspout 28 and snugly embracing the latter. The element 88 thereby forms a flexible joint between the lower end of the downspout 28 and the upper end of the sleeve 72 to connect the vent passageway 78 to the vent passage through the valve body 36.

From the construction thus far described, it will be seen that the lower end of the tube 66 and the sleeve 72 are adapted to be inserted into the container. 24, to. a point adjacent the bottom thereof and. that when. the sleeve is raised relative to the tube, as shown in Figure 3, such movement serves to uncover the radial discharge ports 70 and also open the radial ports 80 in the sleeve. The opening of the ports 80 in the sleeve opens the lower end of the vent passageway 78 to permit free communication between the interior of the container 24 and the air space 60 in the reservoir. Continued upward movement of the sleeve 72 engages its annular upper surface with the depending lower rim of the valve body 36, as shown in Figure 3, and then raises the valve body off the valve seat 34, as illustrated in Figure 4. In this position of the movable parts of the nozzle, liquid may flow through the gap between the valve head SS and the seat 34, through the lateral ports 64, and down through the bore 62 and filling tube 66 for discharge through the radial ports70 The filling tube 66 has a closed lower 4 into the container 24. Simultaneously, air is vented through the lateral ports in the sleeve 72 and upwardly through the vent passageway 78 and vent passage to the space 60 above the liquid in the reservoir.

The mechanism for effecting such operating movements of the nozzle parts by upward movement of the container 24 on the filling platform 20 consists of an annular sealing gasket or pad 94 which snugly embraces the sleeve 72 and is seated against a shoulder 96 formed by the underside of the radial flange 82 on the upper portion of the sleeve. This pad 94 engages and seals the mouth of the container 24 from the surrounding atmosphere upon upward movement of the latter. Replacement of this gasket 94 with other gaskets of varying thicknesses serves as a method for adjusting the filling height or headspace of the container 24.

The operation of the filling nozzle is as follows: With a container 24 positioned on the loading platform. 20, the filling machine operates to raise such platformand lift the container over the filling tube 66 into sealing engagement with the gasket 94, as shownin, FigureiZI' Continued upward movement of the lifting platform serves to raise the sleeve 72, thereby contracting and reducing the volume of the chamber 98. within the baillows-like element 88, as shown in Figure 3. Simultaneously, such lifting of the sleeve 72 serves to open both the discharge ports 70 and the vent ports 8,0 to provide free communication between the interior of the container 24 and the air space 60 in the reservoir. Any residual liquid within the vent passageway 78 and/or the cham-' ber 98 within the bellows-like element drains or is forced downwardly into the container by reason of the pressure. developed on such liquid by contraction or collapsing of the bellows-like element 88. While it is true that such, pressure may also escape upwardly through the vent pas; sage in the valve body '36, it has been observed in actual operation that enough of the residual liquid drains a; is forced downwardly into the container to clear the ventpassageway 78 sufficiently to permit unobstructed venting of the container during the filling operation.

When the container 24 has been raised sufiiciently to cause the sleeve 72 to engage with the lower end of. the valve body 36, as shown in Figure 3, continued movement will lift thelatter to the position shown in Figure 4 to thereby separate the valve head 38. from its 5621534, and permit liquid to flow from the reservoir. 22 through the lateral ports 64 and. down the filling tube 66 for dis charge into the container adjacent thebottom thereof. "t will be noted that the container is filled by a plurality of small streams which are discharged radially against the lower portions of the side walls of the containerin order to minimize. any foaming tendency of the liquid. it will also be noted that'aft er the'liquid level in the container risesabove the uppermost of the discharge ports 70-, the discharge is effected below the surface of the liquid in the container, to thereby completely inhibit any foaming. At the same time, the air displaced from the container by the inflowing liquid is vented upwardly through the vent ports 80, vent passageway 78 and vent passage in the valve body to the air space in the reseryou.

The container will continue to be filled until the liquid therein reaches the level of the upper side ofthe vent ports 80, at which time the filling operation will cease except for such liquid and floating foam as continues to rise through the vent passageway 78 After the container has been filled, the liftingplatform 20 lowers, thereby permitting the weighted valve body 36 to lower into engagement with its seat 34 and shut off further flow of liquid from the reservoir. The liquid thereafter remaining in'the filling tube 66 drains into the container. Continued lowering movement of the container permits disengage ment of the sleeve 72 from the lower end of the valve body 36, aided by the spring-like action of the bellows element 38, to permit the suction developed by expansion of the chamber 98 to withdraw floating foam adjacent the vent ports 80 up through the vent passageway 78 and into the chamber 98, as shown in Figure 5. Continued loW- ering of the container permits the sleeve 72 to come to rest on the upwardly facing shoulder 74 to thereby cover the discharge ports 70 and prevent any drip of liquid from the lower end of the filling tube 66 after disengagement of the mouth of the container from the sealing gasket 94 and withdrawal of the nozzle from the interior of the container. Thereafter another container is positioned on the lifting platform and the above described filling cycle is repeated. In this connection it will be noted that the pressure created in the chamber 98 by the initial upward movement of the sleeve 72 at the beginning of the next filling cycle serves to break down any foam within the chamber and the lower end of the vent passageway and thereafter discharge the resulting liquid through the vent ports 80 into the interior of the next container being filled, as shown in Figure 3.

The nozzle is readily detached from operating position on the reservoir for disassembly and cleaning purposes. To this end the threaded nut 76 is first removed from the lower end of the filling tube 66, after which the valve body 36 and the parts supported thereon may be lifted out of the downspout 28. The annular valve head 38 may then he slipped off of the valve body for replacement and/ or separate cleaning. Thereafter the sleeve 72 may be snapped out of engagement with the lower rim 86 of the bellows-like element 88 and the sealing gasket 94 removed from the sleeve for separate cleaning of these parts. The bellows-like element 88 may also be pulled out of engagement with the lower end of the downspout 28 for replacement and/or separate cleaning. Reassembly of the parts will be obvious from the above described method of disassembly.

it will thus be seen that the objects of this invention have been eifectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the specific embodiment shown and described is for the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention and that various changes therein will occur to one skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention embraces all modifications encompassed by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A filling nozzle for container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, said nozzle being adapted to depend from the reservoir and comprising: a vertically movable assembly having a vent passage and a liquid passage extending therethrough, said liquid passage having a discharge outlet adjacent the lower end of said assembly for positioning within and adjacent the bottom of a container to be filled and said vent passage having an inlet above said discharge outlet for positioning within and adjacent the mouth of the container; means on said assembly engageable by the container for raising said assembly; normally closed valve means controlling said liquid passage and being opened by the terminal upward movement of said assembly; normally closed valve means controlling said vent passage and being opened by the initial upward movement of said assembly; and means forming a normally-expanded contractible chamher in communication with said vent passage above said vent passage valve means, said chamber being mounted at least in part on said assembly for expansion and contraction upon upward and downward movements, respectively, of said assembly.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the liquid passage valve means includes a seat rigid with the reservoir and a valve member movable with the assembly, and including a third valve means covering the discharge outlet and operable with the vent passage valve means.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the discharge outlet comprises numerous radially arranged ports each of an area that is small as compared to the transverse area of the liquid passage for discharge of liquid in numerous fine streams.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the liquid passage comprises a depending tube having an enlarged lower portion provided with a radial discharge outlet adjacent the lower end thereof and including a sleeve slidably mounted on said enlarged portion to cover said outlet and extending above said enlarged portion for forming a portion of the vent passage between said sleeve and said tube, said sleeve having above its lower end a lateral port to said vent passage normally covered by said enlarged portion.

5. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the chamber comprises a bellows having one end thereof secured to the assembly and the other end adapted to be secured to the reservoir.

6. A filling nozzle for container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, said nozzle being adapted to depend from the reservoir and comprising: a vertically movable valve body having a vent passage therethrough; an upwardly facing valve seat for said body; a filling tube depending from said body for insertion into a container to be filled to a point adjacent the bottom thereof and having a radial discharge port adjacent the lower end of said tube, upward movement of said valve body being effective to permit liquid to flow from the reservoir through said tube; a valve sleeve slidably mounted on said tube for lost motion lifting engagement with said valve body, said sleeve normally covering said discharge port and having normally closed lateral vent ports therein above said discharge port; means defining a vent passageway between said sleeve and tube and communicating with said vent passage, upward movement of said sleeve serving to open said vent ports to provide communication between the interior of the container and said vent passageway; means on said sleeve engageable by the container for raising said sleeve and subsequently said valve body; and resilient means adapted to sealingly connect said sleeve to the reservoir.

7. A filling nozzle for container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed liquid reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, said nozzle being adapted to depend from the reservoir and comprising: upper and lower vertically movable sections having lost motion therebetween and a vent passage and a liquid passage extending therethrough, relative advancing movement between the container and the reservoir being effective to engage a container to be filled with said lower section, initially raise said lower section into lifting engagement with said upper section, and thereafter raise both said sections, and withdrawing relative movement between the container and the reservoir eifecting lowering movements of said sections in the reverse order; means defining a discharge outlet for said liquid passage for positioning within and adjacent the lower portion of the container; means defining an inlet for the vent passage for positioning within and adjacent the mouth of the container; normally closed valves controlling said vent passage and said liquid passage and being opened in succession by the initial upward movement of said lower section and the upward movement of said upper section, respectively, said valves being closed in reverse order by the lowering movements of said sections; and means forming a normally-expanded contractible chamber in communication with said vent passage above said vent passage valve, said chamber being mounted at least in part on said lower section for contraction and eX- pansion by the upward and downward movements, respectively, thereof.

8. The structure defined in claim 7 in which the liquid passage valve includes a seat rigid with the reservoir and a valve member movable with the upper section, and including a third valve covering the discharge outlet and operable with the vent passage valve.

9. The structure defined in claim 7 in which the liquid passage includes a filling tube depending from the upper section, and having a radial discharge port adjacent the lower end thereof and an upwardly facing shoulder below said port, the lower section includes a sleeve slidably mounted on said tube for covering said discharge port and normally resting on said shoulder, and the vent passage valve includes a lateral port in said sleeve above the lower end thereof.

10, In a filling nozzle for container filling apparatus having a filling platform and a superposed. liquirl reservoir, at least one of which is vertically movable, the combination of a filling tube having a radial discharge port adjacent the lower end thereof for positioning within and adjacent the bottom of a container to be filled, a sleeve slidably mounted on said tube for normally covering said port and having a normally closed radial port above its lower end for positioning above said discharge port within and adjacent the mouth of the container; and means defining a vent passage between said sleeve and tube for communication with the interior of the container through said sleeve port upon upward movement of said sleeve, the vertical spacing between said tube port and said sleeve port, when said sleeve is moved up to open the latter, being such that when said sleeve port is within and adjacent the mouth of the container, said tube port is positioned in a lower portion of the container.

11. A nozzle for filling containers with liquid from a superposed reservoir comprising: a vertically movable tube having a radial outlet adjacent the lower end thereof for supplying liquid to the container; a sleeve slidably mounted on the tube and defining therewith a vent passage having a normally closed inlet above said outlet; means on said sleeve engageable by the container, relative advancing movement between the container and the nozzle being effective to raise said sleeve and open said vent inlet; a valve controlling said liquid tube and opening upon upward movement thereof; means on said sleeve having lost motion lifting engagement with said liquid tube; and a contractible chamber in communication with said vent passage above said inlet and mounted in part on said sleeve for contraction by its upward movement.

12. A filling nozzle for apparatus for filling containers with liquid from a reservoir, said nozzle comprising: a downspout depending from the bottom of the reservoir and having an upwardly facing valve seat; a weighted valve body slidably mounted in said downspout for seating on said seat and having a vent passage extending vertically therethrough and a lateral port normally spaced below said seat; a vent pipe mounted on said body and extending upwardly from 'said vent passage above the level of the liquid in the reservoir; :1 filling tube in communication with said lateral port and depending from said valve body for insertion into a container to be filled to a point adjacent a lower portion thereof, said tube having at least one radial discharge port adjacent the lower end thereof; means defining an upwardly facing shoulder on said tube below said discharge port; a sleeve telescoped on said tube and normally resting on said'shoulderto cover said discharge port and having a lateral port for positioning within and adjacent an upper portion of the container, the upper end of said sleeve being normally spaced below the lower end of said valve body for lost motion lifting engagement therewith; means defining a vent passageway between said sleeve and said tube having an open upper end and a normally closed lower end, said sleeve port serving to provide communication between the interior of the container and said vent passageway upon upward movement of said sleeve; a resilient annular bellows secured to and between said downspout and said sleeve and having the interior thereof normally in communication with the lower end of said vent passage and the upper end of said vent passageway; and an annular pad on said sleeve for sealing engagement with the mouth of the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 620,877 Bassett Mar. 14, 1899 1,085,899 Fisher Feb, 3, 1914 1,164,360 Kiefer Dec. 14, 1915 1,216,574 Kiefer Feb. 20, 1917 1,371,244 Huntley Mar. 15, 1921 2,499,149 Lippold Feb. 28, 1950 

